China's and India's emerging energy foreign policy

"This article aims at analyzing the changing energy foreign policies of the Anchor countries China and India. Both countries' economies are growing at an unprecedented pace. Due to high economic growth based on rapid industrialisation the energy consumption of both countries is rising fast. Against this background it is explored how the quest for energy security has transformed both countries' foreign policies. In fact, energy and, to an increasing extent, climate change, have become defining elements of both countries' foreign policy as well as of the international context in which they find themselves. A new 'energy foreign policy' which transforms the character of existing geopolitical rivalries is emerging. Outside actors such as the European Union must react to these developments when shaping their policy responses. International institutions and governance structures have to adapt to take into account the growing weight of China, India and other emerging economies. Last but not least, energy security and climate change considerations should be merged into an integrated sustainable energy policy." (author's abstract

Brainstorming Roundtable on Sharing European Flood Management Experiences and Lessons Learned. NFG-TNC Report

On 16 June 2014, a joint roundtable organised by the NFG, along with The Nature Conservancy Europe (TNC), brought together European experts to “share European flood management experiences and lessons learned“. Thirty selected participants, including some of the most prominent experts on flood risk management in Europe and China, members of universities, think tanks and river commissions identified best practices, case studies and idea

Empowered, excited, or disenfranchised? Unveiling issues of energy access inequality and resource dependency in The Gambia

The study assesses the impact of energy service provision in The Gambian settlement of Kartong through a qualitative study that employs immersion and mapping methods. In time for the 2013 Ramadan celebrations, the first 19 households are connected to a regional electricity grid. Shortly after a bus service is introduced that runs from Kartong to Banjul, the capital city of The Gambia. It provides a reliable alternative to so-called bush taxis that operate without a set schedule. While the provision of energy services including electricity and transport is recognized as important in supporting people’s livelihoods, it poses questions about a shift from energy self-sufficiency to increased dependency on outside resources. Locally there is also an increased emphasis regarding inequality in accessing these services. For example, grid infrastructure is currently limited to the longer established parts of Kartong, putting households on the edge of the settlement in a disadvantaged position

Energy potential mapping: Visualising energy characteristics for the exergetic optimisation of the built environment

It is difficult to fully satisfy the energy demand of today’s society with renewables. Nevertheless, most of the energy we use is lost as non-functional waste energy, whereas a large part of the built environment’s energy demand is only for low-quality energy, so the initial demand for primary, high-quality energy can be reduced by more effective usage, such as by low-exergy means. Gaining insight into the parameters of energy demands and local renewable and residual energy potentials enables matching energy demand with a fitting potential, not only concerning quantity but taking into account location, temporality and quality as well. The method of Energy Potential Mapping (EPM) aims to visualise the energy potentials and demands by making information of quantity, quality and location of demand and supply accessible. The aspect of quality specifically applies to heat and cold. The methodology of EPM will be described and explained with case studies. The focus specifically lies on mapping heat (and cold), one of the main reasons for energy demand in the built environment. The visualisation of exergy, to be simplified as the quality of energy, becomes an extra parameter in the case of Dutch Heat Maps. These maps can help finding opportunities of practical implementations of exchanging or cascading heat or cold. This way EPM and Heat Mapping (HM) enables application of exergy principles in the built environment. EPM and HM can be seen as a local energy catalogue and can be useful in spatial planning for energy-based urban and rural plans.Architectural Engineering and TechnologyArchitectur